Like a willow...
by fire demoness
Summary: A deathfic and beyond. theres a twist.a weird one yet not THAT bad^_^Nuriko lets his secret slip-what will Tasuki do? will Houki ever be the same after Nuriko leaves her body? where has Hotohori gone?why is CHichiri evil? *new chapter!*(finally) R&R PLZZZ
1. Like a willow...

disclaimer:not mine.  
  
AN: this is just a sad little deathfic. nuriko is mai second fav. seishi so i think he deserves special attention.^_^i noe that i made Nuriko sound VERY mean and dark in this fic, but im sorri! it was my mood. gomen nasai . you can flame me if you wish.errr SLIGHT hint of him likeing tasuki but nothing bad just him looking down at tasuki and thinking. nothing BAD. but still, Nuriko was gay. what did u expect?  
  
Like a willow...  
  
by:fire demoness  
  
  
  
I faced the enemy with steady eyes. I had promised that i would be OK, and besides, Miaka was counting on me. No Seiyruu seishi was going to stop me from helping my Miko. The seishi... what was it again? oh yes, i see his mark now. Aishitare.  
  
He came at me, yelling and swiping his huge claws everywhere. i was much fsater of course. But then... the dumb baka got a lucky shot in. The pain...searing pain... but i didn't care. As i fell, i brought my arm down and broke his neck... serves him right. he collaspsed and i fell also. clutching my side. i am broken. so much like my kanki. broken like a willow. fragile and delicate.  
  
The pain... oh the pain. i looked down at my hand, covered with blood.There was a huge gaping hole right through my stomach. I looked away. Then, with determanation, i stood up slowly. I, Nuriko, was a Suzaku seishi. I shall try to be helpful till the end. My bracelets already turned into guaglets sometime in the fight, i picked up the heavy boulder in front of the cave entrence. //There// i thought, pleased. now Miaka would be able to enter and fulfill her destiny, with or without me. who am a kididng? im a dead man. for sure. i collapsed yet again. the pain was unbearable.  
  
Ah...is that Miaka? yes... it must be. She is crying. i cannot believe i caused her this much grief. Tamahome as well. i see. In my last moments, i think i see Tasuki coming, but is it him? i never had the chance to tell him...  
  
**later. about 2 seconds after death**  
  
I see them now. weeping over me. "my death was for a good cause. "i want to tell them, but they cannot see nor sense me, not even Chichiri. i sigh. Tasuki. I float over to him. He looks at my cold body with anguish. i so wish that i could calm him.  
  
**after they meet Houki**  
  
I retire to my room. I am grateful that Suzaku gave me another chance, although i can never tell them, i am glad that i can see my friends yet again. i know that Tasuki looks at me weirdly every time i see him, but i dont blame him. im just thankful. thankful for another chance, thankful for a new body,thankful that i am loved,and thankful that i may yet have a chance to change and be stronger in will. Not like a willow anymore...  
  
~Owari?~  
  
I was thinking of a Tasuki fic to go along w/ this one. like that he thinks of nuriko's death and of Houki. who knows? review and i shall decide my answers on the reviews. thanks SO much. pity me and rite one? one itty bity one. takes 4 seconds, plz? 


	2. Uncomfortable meetings...

Disclaimer:not mine. wish it were, but still... i wish for a lotta things. money...reviews...a plot...^_^  
  
warinings/AN: Uhh NOT tasuki+Houki/Nuriko because Houki is already married.Read the fic and u'll c what im talking about.i wasnt gonna do a ch.2. cuz it already sounded done. but i couldnt leave mai fav. character outta this. TASUKI!!!^_^  
  
ch.2:Confrontaions  
  
By:black crystal  
  
My slippered feet padded softly along the polished palace halls.I was still groggy from lack of sleep. As i yawned, i didn't notice where i was going and suddenly collided with something very very solid.  
  
"Itai..." i said, wincing as i laid sprawled very unlike an empress on the ground.  
  
"Oh,gomen... your highness." he said with a hint of a smirk. Tasuki never liked talking to somone as if they were supposed to have his addoration and admiration jsut because they were an important figure in council, even the emperor and empress.  
  
I smiled at him. I guess my death hadnt affected him that much that it would scar him. i was glad. If it had, then i would never forgive myself. Boy was i wrong. As soon as i smiled, i saw his smirk disappear and in its place there was a pained look.  
  
"What is the matter Tasuki?"i asked gently.  
  
"Oh nothin much! just...you look so much like Nuriko..."  
  
I frowned slightly. Didnt he know that it was time to move on and forget about me? i was dead and i know that it would never leave him , but things were getting dangerous right know. He couldnt afford to lose a battle because he was distracted thinking of me and how i died.  
  
"Tasuki... it is time to move on. Nuriko's memory shall always live on. As long as a part of you doesnt forget him. He never forgot Kourin...**gasp**"  
  
I cannot believe i let my sister's name slip. i was in for it now. He knows that Houki has no idea who Nuriko's sister was and even if she DID have one.  
  
"what!?! how do YOU know about Kourin?"  
  
"no! i...just heard of it from Hotohori-sama."  
  
"what?! when do you call him "Hotohori-SAMA"?! and HE doesnt know about it! Only Miaka, Tamahome, Chichiri and I know about her!!"  
  
"I...I have to go now!!!!!!"  
  
I ran away from hid surpirsed face, wide awake now. //BAKA!!!!!!!HOW COULD YOU LET THAT SLIP!!?!??!// i cursed myself over and over. //now he knows...oh suzaku... what have i done?!?!?//all the way to my room, i heard behind me, his voice... calling to me..  
  
"NURIKO!!!WAIT!!!!!DONT GO!!!NURIKO!!!!!!!!!"  
  
I ran into my room, tears streaming in my face.He was never supposed to find out... it would just hurt his future....  
  
TBC????  
  
If you want me to continue, plz tell me in a review, i dont know wether to continue or not.... 


	3. A secret...

Disclaimer:not mine.  
  
AN:Uhh..ok it might be confusing but Houki is still there and it IS her body, but Nuriko just kinda.put her soul in there and Houki said she' share some part of her life with Nuriko, because back when they were still Haram girls, they were friends.  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
By:fire demoness.  
  
I slammed the door shut and slumped against it, tears flowing. My secret was out. If he told anyone, I, Nuriko, Ryuenn, would cease to exsist. Houki would live, but all my memories would be gone and I would only have known as myself as Houki. Suzaku and Taiitsukan had warned me about it when I was getting ready to share the body of my dear friend at the palace, Houki. They had said that I would have temptations to tell my fellow seishi and that I mustn't, if I wished to continue living like this. The moment the person I tell tells someone else, I shall cease to exsist.  
  
I stood up wearily and listened by the door. Silence.He had most likely gone to tell Hotohori, and then.they would only find an unconsious Houki. I sniffled and walked over to my dresser.Houki's dresser. As I walked over, I caught sight of myself in a mirror and frowned. I DID look like I did before. Only female.and without the mole under my left eye.I put a hand on the mirror and pushed it face down. No wonder I reminded Tasuki of.myself.  
  
I finally went over to the dresser and pulled out the last drawer on the bottom.Inside, there was a bundle of silk cloth with flowerly patterns on it. I opened it slowly and smiled selfconsiously at what was inside. A jade ring. It had been Kourin's and when she had died and I decided to.preserve her memory, I had taken this from her jewelry box. She had liked it the best.  
  
I put the jade bracelet on top of my dresser and looked at it sadly. My time on this earth was up.As soon as Tasuki told...i would be able to rejoin Kourin. 


	4. What to do...

Disclaimer: not mine  
  
AN: OMG I TOTALLY forgot about this fic.gomen.  
  
Chapter 5: Confusion.  
  
By:fire demoness  
  
  
  
** Tasuki (1st person view)**  
  
I looked after her. Whoever "she" was. Now I was just getting confused. It must have been Nuriko, who else would know about Kourin. Or was it Chichiri in disguise? What the fuck?! Hotohori has to know about this.  
  
I started down the hall to Hotohori's room, then paused. That wasn't right. Hotohori couldn't know. Then he'd tell the rest of us too. If Houki was Nuriko, then why wouldn't he tell us? This is way beyond my limited thinking powers. I shook my head and went on towards the throne room. He wasn't there. Well, better try every ro-never mind. I'll just ask Chichiri.  
  
I walked down at least 3 damn hallways until I reached Chichiri's room, or so I hoped. I opened the door and stared blankly at what was inside. Hotohori was there, in a chair facing many advisors whom were reading in a monotone from a script. Hotohori seemed to be listening, what with his head propped up with a hand and him staring right ahead, just bobbing his head occasionally.  
  
"Uhh.so are ya busy?"  
  
I asked stupidly. Hotohori looked up with a start and excused himself once he saw me standing there. He took me to the library and we checked to see if the little smart-ass was in here. He wasn't.  
  
"so tasuki. What seems to be the matter?"  
  
he asked while leafing through an old book mindlessly.  
  
"Uhh.. I was just wondering if you noticed something strange about Houki."  
  
"What? Something. strange about her?"  
  
he frowned and put the book down. He was staring me straight in the eye and once I saw his frown I knew that he knew of nothing.  
  
"OH! Its nothing! She seemed.umm uhh EDGY today. Yah. That's right. Edgy. And that's ALL. gotta go!"  
  
I raced out of the library, already on my way to "Houki's" room.  
  
  
  
Ok ok I know that was dumb and useless but I just want reviews that's all im asking for!!!! **sniffle** surely fellow authors AT LEAST should know how it feels when you work hard on ur damn 5 fics and you get sooo little reviews!!!!!! 


	5. Betrayal...

Disclaimer: not mine  
  
AN: sorry I spent so long before updating. I usually write one new chapter every 2 days, but these last 2 days my modem was down. Gomen. I really am glad for the reviews though! Thanks to "tasuki_no_baka" and "gie". But really, how can ANYONE hate tasuki?!?! He is just too funny!and cute...and about the title name, titles are SOOO hard to name! I noe it don't make sense but work w/ me?ok I did NOT plan for this to become a Nuriko+Tasuki fic!!!!I REALLY DIDN'T!!! it just ...clicked. But still, its more like Houki+Tasuki, so its not male+male. Yay!  
  
NOTE: IF ANYONE CAN TELL ME HOW TO GET MY LETTERS BOLD AND CENTERED AND MAKE MY 3 DOTS ACTUALLY SHOW UP AS 3 DOTS, PLZ TELL ME.I WILL WORSHIP You!!!!!!! Im using Microsoft word, btw.  
  
Chapter 6: Betrayal...  
  
By: fire demoness  
  
**nuriko's 1st person view**  
  
I was still in my room, sobbing quietly and holding the hair ornament to my chest. Kourin... I ruined my chance. Me and my loud mouth. Sitting there, by my bed and on the ground, I realized that this would have happened sooner or later. My tears fell with gentle "plop" sounds onto the cold floor. I gasped as someone held out a hankerchief( did they have those back then? Well they do now.) under my face. I looked up ,startled and ready to be sent back to the spirit realm. It was Tasuki. The wide open door stood behind him. Damn him. So quiet.  
  
"Ya alright?"  
  
he asked softly and nervously, unused to this. I shook my head and accepted the hankerchief. He sat down on the ground beside me and fretted uncomfortably. I sniffed and looked at him.  
  
"So. I guess you've told Chichiri, Hotohori, or any of the others already ne" I said, tears still streaming down my face.  
  
He looked at me with wide eyes.  
  
"what!? Of course not. If ya didn't tell me, then I know it was important to ya."  
  
He was smarter than he looked. I guess Tasuki had some sense in him after all. I smiled slightly and shook my head again.  
  
"sooner or later, you're either going to let it slip, or they'll find out. Its all a matter of how long."  
  
He gasped and took me into a one-armed hug.  
  
"I'm never going to let it slip, not if it means you have to go away again. And I'll make sure they never find out. You can count on me."  
  
Tasuki's eyes shone with a fire brighter than the one made by his tessen and I hugged him back. He stroked my hair self-conciously, as he would a cute little puppy.  
  
"Nuriko... oh suzaku I never thought I'd be able to say that name again without feeling sad."  
  
I grinned at him and soon after, I fell into a sleep, later to be awoken abruptly by falling out of Tasuki's arms.  
  
"Houki."  
  
Hotohori stood at the door, a crashed plate of food at his feet. He had a striken and betrayed look on his face.  
  
"HOTOHORI!!NO IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!"  
  
I rushed out of the door, not seeing Tasuki's hurt face as he stood by the door.  
  
TBC  
  
OK this chapter sucked. Sorri.but still, review? It'll help me to continue! 


	6. Strangers in the night...

Disclaimer: not mine  
  
AN:im sorry I havent been updating lately, I was busy on my other fic, so this one and my other 6 were pushed off to one side. I also had writer's block. Ugh. Tasuki and the "thing" has 32 reviews!!! Yay! See, I DO update by reviews.^^. (lookie! Nuriko!!! ^^.)  
  
Chapter 7: Strangers in the night...  
  
By: fire demoness  
  
I raced out of the room, looking around wildly for Hotohori. My hair was messy and my clothes were getting ripped up as I ran through the palace garden.  
  
//where is he!??//  
  
I kept running, even though I was lost and panting. Finally, my footsteps slowed down and I just slumped onto a nearby bench. I sat there for awhile, hugging my knees to my chest and sniffeling. I heard a leaf crackle in the silence of the night and snapped my head up. I could barely make out a shape.  
  
"It'll be alright...Ryuuen."  
  
My mouth was hanging wide open but before I even got a CHANCE to speak, the shadow ran away. The moonlight only confirmed one thing. It was a person alright. Nothing else would be made out of the fleeing shadow.  
  
I stood there, shocked. How had someone gotten into the palace? And how come he/she know who I was? I finally took a look at my surroundings. Trees. Trees and the bench behind me. Darkness shadowed the whole place. I had to stay until morning at least. Maybe then I would find Hotohori. What to do was a matter I would think of tomorrow. Right now, sleep overtook my senses and I fell asleep right on the bench.  
  
The moonlight lit a pair of eyes in the bushes.  
  
" It is time..."  
  
The wind howled and then, there were no eyes.  
  
Nuriko slept on silently.  
  
**Tasuki-1st person view**  
  
I looked after her, him. Nuriko. Houki. Shit, now I was getting confused. Hotohori just HAD to come in here and ruin Hou-Nuriko's sleep. I guess it wasn't HIS fault, but just when I had finally been reunited with Nuriko.  
  
I strode out the door, my feet making soft pats that echoed through the empty hallway. Empty that is, except for the feeling that someone was watching me.  
  
"Who's there?! "  
  
I yelled, turning around every which way humanly possible. A man stepped out from INSIDE one of the shadows. I gasped. Was it really him?  
  
A cruel smile lit up on his face.  
  
"Yes Tasuki. I'm backkk."  
  
TBC  
  
I dunno where to go from here. PLEASE review!!!! I need support and encouragement and all those things. 


	7. My destiny...

Disclaimer: not mine  
  
AN: well…I wasn't gonna finish this fic at ALL, cuz I'm (^.^) pretty dependent on reviews to update which story. *Sigh* I'd love for some of my fics to get "known" or something…=( or at least get over 100 reviews on a fic...oh well...^.^ I was so happy when I saw my username on someone's favorite author's list!! Wai!! Meeeeee!!!! MOI!!!  
  
  
  
Chapter 7: My destiny...  
  
By: fire demoness  
  
The first rays of sunlight beamed into my eyes as I blinked away the sleep. I'd had such a nice dream...i was running...laughing...with Kourin again. The bench sagged as I sat up. What had happened last night? The eyes...those strange eyes...  
  
There was a rustling sound and I looked up sharply to meet soft violet eyes.  
  
"Kourin…?"  
  
There she stood, clothed in white, with a strange glow about her frail body. She nodded with a faint smile and floated, and I mean FLOATED over. My mind went numb with shock and I didn't even react to when she sat down by me.  
  
"Ryueen...it's time."  
  
I snapped out of my trance at those words."Kourin...how? what? What about me? time for what? Tell me!"  
  
She looked at me solemnly and shook her head slowly. "I can't say. Just...go find Tasuki...meet your destiny. Remember when we met in heaven? Before you decided to come back? I told you I'd watch over you and come back anytime you needed me the most. I don't break promises, you know.."  
  
I gave a weak chuckle and raised a trembling hand to her cheek. It went straight through. she looked down at her feet and shook her head." I didn't...i'm not human anymore. Just a spirit."  
  
I lowered my hand and we sat there, staring at one another, trying to engrave it in our minds forever. How I had longed to see her once again...to talk to Kourin. It seemed like an eternity had passed since I last saw her. A thought suddenly came back to me- something she had said.  
  
"Kourin...what's my destiny? And what does Tasuki have to do with it? Kourin- KOURIN!?!"  
  
tears had started to stream down her semi-transparent face,splattering onto the cold stone bench I was sitting on. She was starting to fade...her right hand was gone, disappeared into thin air.  
  
"my time is short. You'll know what to do. Follow your heart...willow."  
  
her body had began to disapper was well, and all that was left was her head...then- she was gone. There was a gust of wind and Kourin was no more. I just sat there, my hand clutching at the air. I could feel my own tears streaming down.  
  
"kourin..."  
  
the spring wind swirling around the garden, blowing leaves every which way, was all the reply I received.  
  
||*||*||*||*||*||*||*||*||*||  
  
"How...what…? is it really you?...Chichiri?"  
  
He stared back at me evilly, grinning as his thin, frail fingers clung to the metal staff he held. His hair was no longer the calm, sky-blue color they had been. Now darkened with dirt and mud, his clothing ripped, his legs so thin they seemed unable to support him.  
  
"yes tasuki," he rasped,leaning on the staff and coughing slightly," I'm back...just like I said I would. But you were wrong! You thought I would be the same naïve fool I was back then...hahahaa...i've changed Tasuki."  
  
I refused to belive it, even though he sounded so like him...so like Chichiri, but Chichiri was kind, good and caring, not this- this cruel CREATURE in front of me.  
  
"Chichiri...what happened? What evil thing did this shit to you?"  
  
" HA!" he let out a harsh cold laugh,"Good and evil? There was always some LINE in the middle- or so we thought. The road has changed me, made me stronger. I have studied with many...even the so-called evils. Does that make me evil too? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?!?!"  
  
his voice had started to break, and the metal staff clanged as he flung it against the wall in frustration.  
  
" I went to find Taiitsukan...i couldn't see it. I just couldn't see...i knew it was there...and yet…I saw nothing...only a rocky moutain...there were flashes of what seemed to be Nyan-nyans...but mainly just what I knew would be there...a rocky mountain..."  
  
time seemed to slow down as I digested what he told me. the only sound was his raspy breathing as thoughts raced through my mind.  
  
// if he couldn't see the holy palace...but Taiitsukan said that all beings of good nature could see it, and all evil would see a rocky mountain...shit, he's evil??! No...it can't be...he saw flashes of Nyan- nyan! He can't be completely evil...he just can't.//  
  
"oh stop it already! Face the truth Tasuki. We're not the same...no one is the same..."  
  
"what did you come back here for?"  
  
his grin became wider and he started chuckling again.  
  
" I came BACk here just for you tasuki. You're very special you know that? And people need you...now are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way? Either is fine with me."  
  
I glared at him, finally accepting that he wasn't the same as before.  
  
"you choose" I snarled.  
  
//Chichiri...i'll bring you back to the way you were...i promise I will//  
  
  
  
TBC?!??!  
  
Ack…sorry if this chapter wasn't up to standards. I havent updated in over 5 days. My usual waiting period before writing again is 2 days. SORRY!! That's why im gonna start new fics...i think. ~.^ anyways, im working hard and a review would REALLY boost my confidance level and encourage me to continue. ^.^;;hehe...be nice?  
  
Oh yah, remember when Taiitsukan said that only ppl with good nature and stuff could see the holy palace and stuff? And the evil would see only a rocky moutain? ^.^I know Chichiri seems just to go INSANE and not really EVIL, but…as I said: sorry if it wasn't up to standards...*SNIFFLE!!* I TRIEEEDDD!!!  
  
(P.S. ack…I'm no good at sap and stuff like that...im more of a humor person, I just write more angst. ^.^)  
  
(P.P.S. if anyone would like to tell me things to add or fix about this fic or any of the other fics, my AIM sn is MysticalAngel415. Email would be DarkMystical_angel478@hotmail.com. I would LOVE an email or to chat. Im a chatty person-could ya tell?^.^) 


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